Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1887-01-13

to Capt. Hitchcock that, with his per
mission, he would offer prayer. o
course it was given at once. And
never, ia all my life, said Capt. Hitch
cock, 'heard "A more beautiful prayer
from lips of mortal man. And as he
said 'amen, and | said amen too,
raised my eyes and saw your SAIL
Perhaps said Capt. Raymond to
his group of listeners-'perhaps you'd
like to know the names of those two
passengers ? They are familiar to you
all, and you'll find them at the bottom
of this letter, which received, with
silver pitcher, a few days after we
reached New York. | haven't seen it
for some time, until it turned up to-
day while / was over hauling my desk.
1t is an old letter, you see, and was
written before the envelope was invent
ed.'
The letter was passed around and
handled with great care. 1t was then
read aloud by one of the group, and
ran as follows
NEW York, Dec. 2S, 1S44.
DEAR SlR-Desirous of testifying
our grateful sense of the noble disinter-
estedness with which you stood from
your course on the 18th of December
last in search of the captain, passen-
gers and crew Of the ship Alatamian,
which foundered on that day at sea,
and Of the kindness we received at
your hands while your guests, we beg
your acceptance of the accompanying
piece of plate.
we know that no Offering of ours
can add to the proud feeling of sails
faction which must have animated
your bosom when upon your own deck,
you saw the eighteen human beings
whose lives you had sayed but we
wish you to posses some slight token
which in after days may serve to re-
mind your children and your friends of
how nobly you did your duty 10 your
God and fellow men and we desire
that other ship masters, melted as well
by their own humane impulses as by
the appreciation which so noble an act
never fails 20 call down from the pub
Il Il
In conclusion, we congratulate you
upon the opportunity you haYe enjoyed
of gratifying the most generous
prompting of the soul, we pray that
Heaven may shower its choicest bless
upon you and yours, and we beg you
to be assured of the lasting gratitude
of, very truly, your friends,
EDWARD COOPER,
ABRAM 5. HEWITT,
Passengers.
TO Capt. George b. Raymond, of the
ship Atalanta of New York
y day or two after receiving and
answering this letter. said Capt. Ray
mond, 4 received an invitation to 60
to Mr.. Peter Cooper's house, as the
family WAS very desirous of meeting
me. was so bu sy with the affairs of
my ship that l could not respond at
once, but sent word that | would call
on New Years day. When | called,
and my name was announced they did
did not wait for me to 60 into the par
lor, but all came out into the hall to
greet me the ladies pressed around
ne, and l assure you it was rather en-
barrassing for young sea dog to re-
ceiye SO much attention. | had done
nothing more than my duty, and some
how felt that l was beng thanked and
praised good deal beyond what | mer-
ited tried to tell them so, but they
wouldn't listen to me, and all the time
| was there they made such a hero of
me that didn't know what to say, and
wondered how | would be able to es-
cape. None of the Cooper or Hewitt
family have ever forgotten me, but on
the contrary, they miss no opportunity
Of referring to that incident of the 18th
of December. When the L)tos club
gave dinner to Mayor Cooper l want
ed to come as much as | ever wanted
to do anything in all my life, and l
thought | would do so but l don't
like to be called mp for speech, and
| knew that Hewitt or Cooper would
be sure to have me out and make me
say something 50 stad away, and
saved the club from listening to the
story of the loss of the Alabamian.'
Il, you had told the story as You
have told it now" said one Of the lis
teners, you would have made one of
the most effective speeches ever mad e
at "A dinner party
50 say we all. = Harpers Weekly.
History Of the Postal Gard.